Route to being an airline pilot for a young kiwi

[mooondog]

Re NZ student loans for aviation

The interest free component of the student loan scheme provided by Studylink only provides funding for the dual tuition - the solo hours are to be self funded (this applies as from now - following the budget announcements last month). Interest is charged on all the student loans anyway if the recipient scapas off over seas to get work (as many do). There are outfits in NZ (try flyNPT) that offer loans with cheap interest for the whole of the CPL training including the solo component - but the scheme is thru a bank (just like the old days):

[Duff]

Goblin.

Hell of a lot of Aussie accents flying one star in NZ mate. Perhaps you should have a chat with your countrymen about selling the profession down the road.

[remoak]

but I would suggest doing the training in NZ.

Good call, I forgot about CTC. Yes it is MUCH cheaper here than in the UK.

What do you think a frozen NZ ATPL is?

I have never managed to find any such thing in Part 61!

Yeah well we all know what it is... an ATPL without the final bit. In the UK, where enlightenment rules, it is simply a matter of experience. In NZ, where being backward in aviation matters has been raised to the level of an art form, you have to go and do a flight test. Even the Ozmates aren't that stupid.

So there really isn't any point in pedantry...

[c100driver]

It is worse than that in that if you don't get a job flying a CAA "approved type i.e. turbine or pressurised " to do the flight test in you are stuffed as your exams run out and you need to sit them all again! Total crock

The NZ ATPL subjects expire so how can it be frozen?

Anyway total agreement with Remoak on this one

If he can get a Euro passport, tell him to get over there and do a JAA/EASA licence. Far more jobs on much better machinery, with far bigger airlines than Air NZ which is pretty puny in international terms. Better money too.

If he has to stay in NZ, warn him that NZ aviation is a parochial backwater, and that bending over and taking it like a man is the standard method of advancement...

If you can get out and work in the EU then go for it!

[remoak]

They expire in Euroland too... unless it has changed since I sat them

[zkjaws]

c100driver - see you did come around to my way of thinking

Get the subject and head to Europe to get the hours on a B738 or A321 as soon as possible before the subjects expire. Much better than them going to waste after you have spent time as a C Cat or Jump Pilot.

And the only hitch is you have to work for Michael O'Leary types.

[alexWCD]

Before everyone starts going on about 'getting a student loan! Its interest free!', by the start of next year it won't be.

They have completely changed it, they are no longer funding full pilot student loans, they will only pay for dual hours. They have also put a cap on the loan for $38000. So for the NMIT course you are going to have to put in $42000 (NMIT course is $80000) of your own money.

I would recommend going round as many clubs, FTO's and anyone you can find and see what the offer and look up info. If you can, go for one this year, because from next year it's going to get quite hard.

Also, I never promoted the Jetstar program, I know its a s**t contract, but if you just want to fly a jet and build up hours its the way to go. Although sadly you might have the dreaded SJS syndrome.

[27/09]

alexWCD

So for the NMIT course you are going to have to put in $42000 (NMIT course is $80000) of your own money.

Not exactly correct. The course fee depends on which provider you enroll with on the NMIT course, it might be $80,000 for one but not necessarily for all providers.

I've just been through the CTC selection process for the wings program, and they said that Jetstar guarantee a command on the 320 within 6 years, can't see how they make that but im not jetstar.

Smart lad with your comment at the end. No one else can see how they could guarantee that either, especially since the cadets will not have the requirements for an ATPL. More CTC spin I suspect. The more I hear about these guys the more I'm convinced prospective CPL's should avoid them.

big buddah

I agree with everything you wrote except for

Then get over seas as quick as possible! avoid the whole Eagle, Air Nelson scene. There is a huge wide world out there great adventures, better machines and more money than NZ.

It takes a big step to leave the safety of little old NZ but once you do you will forever better off.

Going overseas is a good option, BUT, it's not for everybody, and to suggest it's the only good option is over stating the case.

I know people who have gone overseas and stayed there and been very happy, but also some who've not been happy and come back, some who've gone overseas to get a start then come home and been very happy and then those who've stayed in NZ and been very happy.

Horses for courses.

[remoak]

27/09

What you are saying is correct, obviously "horses for courses" is a truism. However the fact remains the opportunities overseas are several orders of magnitude better than those back here in NZ. Personally, having done it, I would say that you would be crazy not to if you have the opportunity. Sure, you may come back after a few years, but you will be a far more rounded pilot, especially if you have been flying into the larger Euro hubs. I found that it was like opening a big book of wonders... until you have experienced it, it's hard to understand just how good the experience can be. NZ instructor with 700 hours to jet skipper in five years seems pretty good to me. Hard to imagine that happening here.

The only downside is that when you get back to parochial little NZ, you can be treated like a pariah by the local operators ("you didn't put in the hard yards", "you jumped the queue", IFR is harder in NZ and you won't be able to cope"... etc etc)

[alexWCD]

Going overseas is a very good idea, however like remoak says, once you leave it's quite hard to get back in (so I've been told).

However if you stayed in NZ with one of the Air NZ subsidies, move your way up the ranks, then say take LWOP (Leave without pay). You are able to go and work overseas for a period of time and still have your job in NZ.

This is what the Freedom guys did when they got pummeled, and a lot of the have stayed in the sandpit.

[27/09]

then say take LWOP (Leave without pay) You are able to go and work overseas for a period of time and still have your job in NZ.

From what I heard this only happened when Air Nz was a tad flush with pilots. Not likely to happen under normal circumstances for any company that I know of.

If you wanted to head of overseas to work there would be no problem with that, ...... provided you resigned first.